Basketball: Samohi‚Äôs Jackson picks Sac State

SAMOHI ‚Äî Former Santa Monica star point guard Trevis Jackson has picked Sacramento State to continue his basketball career.

After leading Samohi to its first CIF-Southern Section championship in the sport since 1987 and an appearance in the state Division 1 title game, Jackson liked what Sac State had to offer.

“I picked Sac because it was one of the schools that would allow me to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the Division 1 level,” Jackson said. “Also, it‚Äôs nice to go home.”

Most of Jackson‚Äôs family on his mother‚Äôs side lives in Sacramento, a place he spent much of his early life.

The road to a full scholarship will take time for the playmaker.

He has decided to redshirt his freshman year to give him more time to bulk up and learn the system. He‚Äôll travel with the team and practice, but will not likely be offered a scholarship until he completes his freshman year. That is unless injuries or his performance in practice warrants his activation.

In the meantime, Jackson is working on finding grants and other scholarships that will pay his tuition this coming school year. He said that he‚Äôs secured most of the funding and is confident that he won‚Äôt have many out-of-pocket tuition expenses.

Jackson had been lightly recruited until late in the season when he stepped up to lead Samohi to what proved to be an historic campaign. He had interest from lower division schools, but wanted to play college basketball at its highest level.

It didn‚Äôt hurt that his father played for Sac State head coach Brian Katz at Delta College.

“He‚Äôs one of those coaches that has a strict system,” Jackson said. “If you can fit in his system, you‚Äôll be fine.”

Jackson is the second Samohi senior to commit to a Division 1 school. Jordan Mathews signed on to play for Cal.